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Tata Xenon

To start with, this is the best looking pickup ever to roll out of India, but to be precise, remember the Oldie Tata Mobile….well it all started bak then..

The new Xenon is generations ahead of the Mobile..but its still a pickup, so space means more than looks

Looks : – Not the best in the world, but certainly will turn heads in India (given no serious competition in the segment).

Stands tall, ; the front end is shared with the Sumo Grande but gives a very distinctive look in a pick up configuration

Engine and Transmission : It shares its heart from the Safari, so the same 2.2 DICOR with all the 140 horses and 320 Nm of torque. The gearbox is the same as well : 5 speed manual. But as we know, this 2.2 is not so responsive at low revs, and considering the pickup has to carry more than just people, it is a concern

But reliability is top knotch with the Tata Dicor family of engines
Fuel consuption is decent…around 11-13kmpl and a 65 litre tank helps.

Space : The in cabin space is okey kinda, and the loading bay is sufficient but we desire more with the dimensions of this pickup. The Mahindra Scorpio Getaway, which is the only threat in this segment (read- lifestyle pickup) is more practical when it comes to space.

Overall Package : As a package, not bad, but considering the new technologies that Tata has today (Land Rover and stuff) as compared to the Tata Mobile days, the next updates should be much better and sooner to make the Xenon a lifestyle..literally.

The major hurdle for this newbie might be the price though, becoz we in India wud always prefer Pickups over Lifestyle Pickups (more so when the word lifestyle adds a lakh or two to the price tag)

Appeal :- Very distinct, commands presence and respect (more so in the wild). Not really supposed to carry cows, instead carry some camping equipment and move north towards the Himalayas

Bottomline : You have money to spare. You are old school when it comes to 4×4 machines. And every third off-road enthusiast in town has a Pajero…… Then you go for the Xenon